Membrane perforating device

ABSTRACT

A perforating device for perforating a membrane includes a three-dimension element having a number of particles secured together with such as powder metallurgy procedures, powder pressing procedures, sintering method, or with adhesive materials, and the particles each include a number of protruded peaks for engaging with the membrane and for perforating the membrane. The element may be formed into or selected from a planar element, a longitudinal bar element, or a cylindrical element, and may include a bore formed in the cylindrical element for engaging with a carrier. The particles may be selected from silicon sands, or diamond sands, and may be selected from natural sands or synthetic sands.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a film or membrane perforating device, and more particularly to a membrane perforating device for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typically, for preserving the beverage, the food, particularly the sea food, a film or membrane is required to be provided and engaged onto the outer or upper portion of the cup or receptacle or container that is provided for receiving the beverage or the food, in order to suitably seal the cup or receptacle or container.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,500 to Danforth et al. discloses one of the typical lid sealing machines for applying and sealing lids on the trays.

Some of the cups or receptacles or containers may be disposed in a microwave oven for heating the beverage or the food contained in the cup or receptacle or container.

However, if the cups or receptacles or containers are tightly sealed with the lids or films or membranes, a vapor may be generated within the cups or receptacles or containers which may be exploded because the vapor may not flow out through the lids or films or membranes.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional membrane perforating devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a membrane perforating device provided for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a perforating device for perforating a membrane, the perforating device comprising a three-dimension element including a number of particles secured together, and the particles each including a number of protruded peaks for engaging with the membrane and for perforating the membrane.

The element may be formed into or selected from a planar element, a longitudinal bar element, or a cylindrical element, and may include a bore formed in the cylindrical element for receiving or engaging with a shaft.

A carrier may further be provided for supporting the element. The particles may be selected from silicon sands, or diamond sands, and may be selected from natural sands or synthetic sands.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan schematic and partial cross sectional view illustrating a cup or receptacle or container having a film or membrane to be perforated with a membrane perforating device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the film or membrane;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the cup or receptacle or container;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view of the film or membrane as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sand or particle for making or forming the membrane perforating device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating one example of the membrane perforating device;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating another example of the membrane perforating device;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the membrane perforating device for perforating the film or membrane;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the other example of the membrane perforating device;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a further example of the membrane perforating device;

FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view illustrating the application or the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the operation of the membrane perforating device as shown in FIGS. 12-13 for perforating the film or membrane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a membrane perforating device 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6-14 and is provided for engaging with a film or membrane 20 and for perforating the membrane 20 or for forming a number of perforations 21 in the membrane 20, and arranged for allowing the air to flow through the membrane 20 and for preventing the water to flow through the membrane 20, best shown in FIG. 4. The membrane 20 is to be attached or applied or engaged onto the outer or upper portion of a cup or receptacle or container 30 which is provided for receiving the food or beverage 31, in order to suitably seal the container 30 and to preserve the food or beverage 31.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 30 and the food or beverage 31 may be disposed in a microwave oven 32 which may be provided for heating the food or beverage 31 contained in the container 30. After heating, a vapor may be generated within the container 30 and may flow out through the perforations 21 of the membrane 20 for preventing the container 30 from being exploded, and the perforations 21 of the membrane 20 are arranged for preventing the water from flowing out through the perforations 21 of the membrane 20 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The membrane perforating device 1 in accordance with the present invention is thus provided for perforating the membrane 20 and for forming a number of perforations 21 in the membrane 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, the membrane perforating device 1 comprises a number of natural or synthetic silicon sands or diamond sands or particles 10 each including a Mohr's hardness of about eight (8), and each including a number of pointed ends or tips or protruded peaks 11 for engaging with the membrane 20 and for perforating the membrane 20, and the particles 10 may be secured together with such as powder metallurgy procedures, powder pressing procedures, sintering method, or with adhesive materials, for forming a spatial or three-dimension object or element, such as a planar element 12 as shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 10, a longitudinal bar element 13 as shown in FIGS. 7, 9, a cylindrical element 14 as shown in FIG. 11, or a cylindrical element 15 as shown in FIGS. 12-14 and having a longitudinal bore 16 formed therein for receiving a mandrel or shaft 17 and for allowing the cylindrical element 15 to be rotated together with the shaft 17 (FIG. 14).

As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the elements 12, 13 of the membrane perforating device 1 may be attached to a carrier 40 which may be coupled to a moving or actuating or actuating or operating device or machine 41 that may move the elements 12, 13 of the membrane perforating device 1 toward or away from the membrane 20 for selectively engaging with the membrane 20 and for perforating the membrane 20 or for forming a number of perforations 21 in the membrane 20. The membrane 20 may be disposed on or supported by or moved over a supporting or cushioning pad 42 for allowing the membrane 20 to be suitably perforated with the elements 12, 13 of the membrane perforating device 1.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 14, the membrane 20 may also be disposed on or supported by or moved over a cylindrical supporting or cushioning pad 43 which is aligned with the cylindrical element 15 for allowing the membrane 20 to be moved or sent or fed through the cylindrical pad 43 and the cylindrical element 15 and for allowing the membrane 20 to be suitably perforated with the element 15 of the membrane perforating device 1.

It is to be noted that the elements 12, 13, 14, 15 of the membrane perforating device 1 are formed or made of a number of silicon sands or diamond sands or particles 10 each including a number of pointed ends or tips or protruded peaks 11 for engaging with the membrane 20 and for perforating the membrane 20, and for allowing the membrane 20 to be suitably perforated with the elements 12-15 of the membrane perforating device 1. The particles 10 may be selected from natural or synthetic silicon sands or diamond sands. The elements 12-15 of the membrane perforating device 1 include a great Mohr's hardness of about eight (8) and will not be rusted.

Again, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the perforations 21 of the membrane 20 include a size or dimension or diameter arranged for allowing the air, the gas, the vapor or the like to flow through the perforations 21 of the membrane 20, and thus for preventing the container 30 from being exploded, In addition, when the alive sea food is received or contained in the container 30 and sealed with the membrane 20, the sea food may be kept alive with the air flowing through the perforations 21 of the membrane 20.

Accordingly, the membrane perforating device in accordance with the present invention may be provided for engaging with a film or membrane and for perforating the film or membrane and for allowing air to flow through the film or membrane and for preventing water to flow through the film or membrane.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A perforating device for perforating a membrane, said perforating device comprising: a three-dimension element including a plurality of particles secured together, and said particles each including a plurality of protruded peaks for engaging with the membrane and for perforating the membrane.
 2. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is a planar element.
 3. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is a longitudinal bar element.
 4. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said element is a cylindrical element.
 5. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cylindrical element includes a bore formed therein.
 6. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cylindrical element includes a shaft engaged in said bore of said cylindrical element.
 7. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a carrier is provided for supporting said element.
 8. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said particles are selected from silicon sands, or diamond sands.
 9. The membrane perforating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said particles are selected from natural sands or synthetic sands. 